Hinge CEO Jackie Jantos said Gen Z is struggling to start conversations and is effectively forgetting how to date.
This shift suggests a widening gap in social competencies among young adults, prompting the company to integrate artificial intelligence to bridge the divide. By deploying AI-driven coaching and chatbots, Hinge aims to provide a digital safety net for users who lack confidence in traditional romantic interactions.
Jantos said these trends during interviews at the Cannes Lions festival and with the BBC. She said that the current generation of young adults faces unique hurdles in forming connections compared to their predecessors. According to Jantos, Gen Z spends more than two hours a day less in-person with other people than the same age group did 20 years ago [1].
This decrease in face-to-face interaction has led to a perceived decline in the ability to navigate the early stages of dating. Hinge intends to use AI to guide users through the process of initiating and maintaining a conversation. The goal is to help users re-learn the social cues, and conversational rhythms, that were previously acquired through more frequent physical socialization.
The introduction of these tools comes as dating apps increasingly move toward automating the discovery and interaction phases of romance. While some users may find the AI coaching helpful, others may view the reliance on chatbots as further distancing the dating process from authentic human connection. Jantos said the tools are designed to support users who feel paralyzed by the prospect of a first message.
“Gen Z is struggling to start conversations and is effectively forgetting how to date.”
The move by Hinge reflects a broader trend of 'algorithmic mediation' in human relationships. By treating dating as a skill that can be taught by an AI, the company is acknowledging that digital-first lifestyles have altered the developmental trajectory of social skills. This creates a feedback loop where the technology that contributed to the social gap is now being marketed as the only viable solution to fix it.
